Ask TOH | Window Gap, Solar Drinking Water

On this episode of Ask This Old House

Roger teaches how to care for orchids; Tom fixes a window that was not hung properly and is now letting air in; Mark demonstrates how to clean brick with acid; in Future House, Ross finds a solar panel that can generate drinking water from thin air.

How to Care for Orchids

Roger teaches the five basics of caring for orchids.

Where to find it?

Orchids and the products required to care for them, including fertilizer and planting media like sphagnum moss, can be purchased from a nursery or home center.

How to Straighten a Window

Tom shims a window that has fallen out of parallel due to improper installation.

Where to find it?

The materials Tom used to fix the window gap, including shims, the hammer, and the utility knife, can be found at home centers.

How to Clean Brick with Acid

Mark demonstrates how to clean soot out of brick using acid.

Where to find it?

Mark cleaned the brick with Sure Klean 600 acidic cleaner, manufactured by Prosoco. It can be found at masonry supply stores and sometimes at painting supply stores. This cleaner should not be confused with muriatic acid, which is stronger and more dangerous.

The other materials used for this project, including buckets, brushes, drop cloths, gloves, and goggles, can be found at home centers.